Method of banding and cutting a strand of wires

ABSTRACT

A strand with helically laid wires that has an encircling band adjacent to a free end of the strand. The band has end portions which are drawn together by a key, whereby the band tightly grips the strand. The band is a low profile member which adds only a small amount to the diameter of the strand so that the strand with the band can readily be inserted into a fitting, such as an automatic splice. The method of applying the band includes assembling the band with the strand by causing the strand to pass through a lateral opening in the band, then tightening the band around the strand, and thereafter severing the strand adjacent to the band.

United States Patent 1191 Mc Grath [45] Nov. 4, 1975 METHOD OF BANDING AND CUTIING A 2,859,424 11/1958 Berndt 339/273 s x STRAND F WIRES 3,570,554 3/1971 Kabel 140/932 3,732,526 5/1973 Punako 339/101 James L. Mc Grath, Medinah, Ill.

Reliable Electric Company, Franklin Park, 111.

Filed: Sept. 30, 1974 Appl. No.: 510,637

Inventor:

Assignee:

US. Cl. 29/526; 29/629; 24/25; 24/268; 339/273 S; 403/344 Int. Cl. B231 19/00 Field of Search 29/461, 526, 629; 403/364, 403/344; 24/25, M, 136 R, 268; 339/273 S; 140/932 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/1873 Mehu 403/209 8/1896 Sparks 1/1906 Rieske 4/1932 Cook 24/81 PE X 12/1946 Banncrman et al 29/461 X Primary ExaminerLowell A. Larson Assistant Examiner-D. C. Reiley, III

Attorney, Agent, or FirmOlson, Trexler, Wolters, Bushnell & Fosse, Ltd.

[57] ABSTRACT A strand with helically laid wires that has an encircling band adjacent to a free end of the strand. The band has end portions which are drawn together by a key, whereby the band tightly grips the strand. The band is a low profile member which adds only a small amount to the diameter of the strand so that the strand with the band can readily be inserted into a fitting, such as an automatic splice. The method of applying the band includes assembling the band with the strand by causing the strand to pass through a lateral opening in the band, then tightening the band around the strand, and thereafter severing the strand adjacent to the band.

2 Claims, 5- Drawing Figures US. Patent Nov. 4, 1975 3,916,507

METHOD OF BANDING AND CUTTING A STRAND OF WIRES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to improvements in means and methods whereby the helically laid wires of a strand are prevented from becoming out of lay at the place where the strand is to be cut.

Strands of the type that are formed by a plurality of helically laid wires may be used as electrical conductors, guy wires, or other types of supporting wires. When these strands are cut, the wires at and adjacent to the cut tend to become out of lay which results in difficulties in handling the strand. In particular, the out of lay wires tend to obstruct the insertion of the end of the strand into a compression fitting or into an automatic fitting that is used to splice two such strands together. To obviate the foregoing problem it has been a common practice to wrap wire or reinforcing tape around the strand and thereafter sever the strand adjacent to the tape, whereby the tape prevents the helically laid wires from unraveling or becoming out of lay. This procedure is cumbersome, time-consuming and tends to increase unnecessarily the diameter of the end of the strand. Thus, a number of wraps of wire or tape tends to build up the strand so that when the strand is cut the result is an end portion of the strand with an excessive enlargement. Frequently this enlargement precludes the end of the strand from being inserted into a fitting.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of this invention is to provide for a strand of the type that is made up of helically laid wires, a band adjacent to a cut end of the strand which holds the wires of the strand in proper position and thereby prevents those wires from becoming out of lay.

A further object of this invention is to provide a strand and strand band in combination with a fitting having an opening through which the banded end portion of the strand may fit. This is made possible as a result of the band being of a relatively low profile configuration, which does not significantly build up the strand diameter.

A further object of this invention is to provide a method of banding and cutting a strand which quickly and effectively holds the wires of the strand in position, after which the strand is severed adjacent to the region where the strand band has been installed, whereby the strand band prevents the wires at the cut from becoming out of lay.

In accordance with the foregoing objects there is provided a combination that includes a plurality of helically laid wires that form a strand. A band encircles the strand adjacent to a free end thereof. The band has opposite end portions in circumferentially overlapping relation and with one of said end portions having spaced aligned loops and the other of said end portions having a further loop. The further loop is disposed between the spaced aligned loops such that all of the loops are aligned and with the band being a member of substantially circular cross section. The loops are relatively flat so as to provide a relatively low profile construction. A key is in the aligned loops and is movable therein for drawing the end portions into further circumferential overlapping relation to place the band in tight gripping engagement with the surface portions of the wires to prevent the wires at the free end from becoming out of lay.

In the foregoing combination the surface portions of the wires preferably define substantially a surface of revolution centered on the longitudinal axis of the strand, and the band has an inside surface coincident with such surface of revolution.

The combination further includes a fitting having an opening through which the strand projects and with the strand band being in said fitting, said fitting having means, such as jaws, for gripping the strand. The fitting may be of various types, for instance an automatic splice of the type having tapered jaws with teeth for gripping the strand.

In accordance with the method of the invention the strand is assembled with the band by a movement that causes the strand to pass through the lateral opening formed by the opposite ends of the band, following which loops at the opposite ends of the band are placed in juxtaposition so that the end portions are circumferentially overlapping. Thereafter, a tapered key is inserted into the loops and by moving the key the band is drawn tightly around the wires of the strand. The strand is then severed adjacent to the band by a cutter, such as a bolt cutter or by a cutting torch whereby the band prevents the wires at the cut from becoming out of lay. Thereafter, the cut or free end of the band can be inserted into a fitting following which the fitting is caused to grip the strand.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view, partially exploded, and showing an arrangement and method in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of a strand with the strand band thereon and with the strand having been cut adjacent to the band, in accordance with the method of this invention;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 shows the banded strand secured in position within an automatic splice.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now in more detail to the drawing there is shown a strand 2 that is made up of a plurality of helically laid wires 4. In laying the wires to form the strand, the wires may or may not take a permanent set, depending upon various factors such as the number of wires and the size of each wire. In any event, if the strand is cut, the wires 4 tend to become out of lay at the region of the cut and the amount of out of lay will, in general, depend upon the amount of permanent set or deformation that the wires have undergone during the formation of the strand. Generally, the less the permanent set the more will be the out of lay. The strand 2 thus formed has a central axis 6 and with the wires 4 being disposed in a helical pattern generally symmetri' cal about the axis, the wires being tangent to each other, all as best seen in FIG. 3.

The strand band 8 is a sheet metal member having a generally arcuate body I0 with opposite end portions spaced apart to form a lateral opening 12 therebetween. This lateral opening may be smaller or larger than the nominal outer diameter of the strand 2. If the opening 12 is smaller than the nominal diameter of the strand, the end portions must be spread apart to increase the size of the opening 12 to enable the band 8 to be slipped onto the strand 2.

One of the opposite ends of the band 8 includes aligned, flat loops 14,16 of low profile and with there being a gap or groove 18 between the loops of 14,16. Each loop 14,16 is formed by a reversely turned length 20 of metal which is welded to the adjacent part of the arcuate body 10. The other end of the body is formed with a single loop 22, also being configured by a reversely bent length 24 of metal which is welded to the adjacent part of the body 10. It will be noted that the loop 22 is smaller in width than the adjacent portion of the body 10 and the loop 22 is also sized for easily fitting within the groove 18. The leading inside surface 26 of the loop 22 is angularly inclined relative to the central axis 6 of the strand.

Initially the band 8 is of open configuration, that is with the opposite ends spread apart as shown in FIG. 1. The band is inserted onto the strand 2 by a movement that includes passing the strand through the lateral opening 12. Thereafter, the ends of the band are brought together so that the loop 22 acts like a tongue and fits into the groove 18. The loop 22 is also of a low, flat profile and is positioned to be aligned with the loops 14,16, whereby the three loops 14,22,16 are now in circumferential overlapping relationship.

A tapered key 28 is used to draw the overlapping end portions of the band into further circumferential overlapping relationship. Thus, the key 28 includes a reduced size end portion 30 which may be of rectangular cross section and an angularly disposed edge 32 which is adapted to engage the surface 26 substantially flush therewith. Therefore, as the key 28 is driven to the left (FIG. 2) the straight or non-inclined edge 34 of the key 28 engages the inner end surfaces of the loops 14,16. The angularly disposed edge 32 engages the angularly disposed surface 26 of the loop 22 so that movement of the key tends to move the loop 26 relative to the loops 14,16. This places the inner surface of the band 8 in tight gripping engagement with surface portions 36 of the strand. These surface portions are on the outer wires of the strand and define substantially a surface of revolution centered on the longitudinal axis 6 and which surface of revolution corresponds substantially with the inside surface of the band 8 when the band is tightened. This condition is best shown in FIG. 3.

After the band has been tightened, as aforesaid, the strand 2 is cut transversely to the axis 6 substantially along a cutting plane 38 that is close to the band 8. The cut strand 2 is, therefore, formed with a free end at 38. The wires of the strand at 38 are prevented from becoming out of lay by reason of the clamping action of the band 8. During the cutting of the strand, the key 28 may have part of its leading portion 30 severed along the cutting plane 38.

The relatively flat loops 14,16,22 result in only a relatively small increase or build-up in the size of the strand at the cut or free end. As a result, the free end is easily inserted into a suitable fitting, as for instance shown in FIG. 5.

The fitting therein comprises a tapered casing 40 having a number of circumferentially spaced jaws 42 therein. The jaws are loosely held together by a retainer disc 44 so that the jaws have a modicum of radial movement relative to the axis of the casing 40. The jaws have teeth 46 which grip the strand, and a spring 48 applies axial pressure to the jaws 42 to preload them. The important thing is, however, that the smaller diameter end opening 50 of the casing 40 is normally only a small amount larger than the nominal diameter of the strand 2. The increase in size resulting from the applied band 8 still results in a small enough end portion of the strand to fit through the opening 50. Furthermore, the strand band 8 is easily pushed axially from the opening 50 through the jaws until the band clears the jaws whereby a reverse pull (to the right FIG. 5) on the strand 2 causes the jaw teeth 46 to grip the strand 2 firmly. Only about one-half of the automatic splice is shown in FIG. 5, it being understood that the other half (only fragmentarily shown) is of like construction and can be used for receiving another banded strand. The center of the splice includes an abutment ring 52 which serves as an end abutment for each of the opposed springs 48 in the two halves of the splice.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. A method of banding and cutting a strand of the type that is made up of a plurality of helically laid wires comprising: providing a low profile band having opposite end portions with relatively flat loops, one of said end portions having spaced aligned loops and the other of said end portions having a further loop, said further loop being adapted to be disposed between said spaced aligned loops, said opposite ends being initially spaced apart to provide a lateral opening, assembling the band with the strand by a movement that causes the strand to pass through said lateral opening, bringing the loops in juxtaposition so that said end portions are circumferentially overlapping, inserting a key into said loops and by moving said-key therein drawing the band tightly around the strand so that the band adds only a small amount to the diameter of the strand, and then severing the strand adjacent to said band to form a free end of said strand, whereby the tight grip of the band on the wires prevents the wires at said free end from becoming out of lay.

2. A method according to claim 1 further including inserting said free end of the band into a fitting, and

then causing the fitting to grip the strand. 

1. A method of banding and cutting a strand of the type that is made up of a plurality of helically laid wires comprising: providing a low profile band having opposite end portions with relatively flat loops, one of said end portions having spaced aligned loops and the other of said end portions having a further loop, said further loop being adapted to be disposed between said spaced aligned loops, said opposite ends being initially spaced apart to provide a lateral opening, assembling the band with the strand by a movement that causes the strand to pass through said lateral opening, bringing the loops in juxtaposition so that said end portions are circumferentially overlapping, inserting a key into said loops and by moving said key therein drawing the band tightly around the strand so that the band adds only a small amount to the diameter of the strand, and then severing the strand adjacent to said band to form a free end of said strand, whereby the tight grip of the band on the wires prevents the wires at said free end from becoming out of lay.
 2. A method according to claim 1 further including inserting said free end of the band into a fitting, and then causing the fitting to grip the strand. 